Review: Bringer of the Scourge by M Daniel McDowell

“Why are you truly here wizard?”
“You said it yourself. Your loyalty to the princess transcends your other responsibilities.”
She tilted her head at him. “My loyalty to her is unquestionable. What is yours?”
—Chap 3, Mehren and Kharise

Blurb:

When the end of ages comes for the empire, the princess must rescue herself.

An army of three brittle allegiances aims for the throne of Derebor, laying siege to the castle Talorr, where Vierrelyne, the last living daughter of the tyrant king, waits locked in a tower cell for the prophesied apocalypse that only she can prevent.

To escape the castle with the aid of her closest counsel, she takes a formidable ancient weapon from her family crypt: a holy suit of armor and a diadem infused with the soul of a demon prince. With this power, Vierrelyne is unstoppable, but its presence is corrosive.

Vierrelyne is haunted by what it means for her to tame the power she has been given, and by what means she might conquer the Bringer of the Scourge. For, if the prophecy she dreads is true, the weapons she wields might destroy everything she holds dear.

Review:

Style

Let's dive into the writing of Bringer of the Scourge by M. Daniel McDowell because that was just… wow. Main thing that caught my attention with this book is the prose. It is downright beautiful, with a quality that brings to mind those classic fantasy stories that first got me hooked on the genre.

McDowell crafts language that's not just a tool to tell the story but an art form in itself. It creates an immersive experience, making you want to keep flipping those pages and as someone that was going through a reading slump at the time of picking this book up, that was very important to me.

Having said that, I do want to specify that this book was a bit heavy for me. I don’t know how else to explain it. I don’t think it was just because of my slump, but it definitely took a toll to read this. It’s been a while since it took me so long to finish a book, though I am so, so, so glad I did because the ending was just :chef’s kiss:.

One of the things that really helped make it an easier read for me though was the main character. Vierrelyne was an absolute pleasure to read about - especially when the writing style and plot make me think of a princess locked in a tower and waiting for someone to save her. Vierrelyne? Not like that. There’s no waiting. She is bad-ass and she knows what she wants and how to get it, and she does it! She is not only an active participant in the story, she is the main driving force behind it - not as someone that needs rescuing but as someone who is more than capable of not only rescuing herself but also destroying everything in her path to do so. Epic!

Story

The storyline itself is a real page-turner. This is not only because of the aspects of prophecy, power struggles, and internal conflicts - it's got all the elements of a gripping fantasy tale - it’s also because it takes those classics like Black Company novels and old-school D&D, and makes them palable for the current generations of readers. I do admit, I started straying away from classic fantasy not that long ago because I got tired of the all-male cast or the one-off woman, or the (my favourite 🙄), the powerful woman that gets relegated to a love interest and nothing more.

Without spoiling too much, the prophesied apocalypse (and the reason for it!! soo cool!!), the siege of the castle, and the discovery of an ancient weapon - it all weaves together into a narrative that keeps you hooked.

And then there’s Vi’s internal struggle not only with the prophecy and her past, her situation and what may happen, but with the new changes coming into her life after she gets her holy armour and diadem - so well done. McDowell did an absolutely amazing job at balancing out the storyline for both internal and external factors.

And that ending?! Still gives me goosebumps when I think about it!

Characters

I already talked about Vi above, but here’s the thing - as cool as she is, she’s not the only one. Yes, she takes the spotlight for the story, but not in my heart. Not only do we have this epic warrior princess, we also have a mysterious magician - a role that would traditionally be given to the rescuer and who ends up being a much more realistic character than expected. Vie not only saves the guy multiple times, she is in total control of him and messes up his plans - but he’s quick.

Then we have a mentor character that I knew was going to be a favourite of mine from when I started reading the beta version. I was more than proven correct. She is amazing and epic and everything I love about characters like her. Add on an interesting past that makes me want to read a prequel all about her and an even more interesting meeting with another character that has me itching for book two and… well… she’s everything I love in a powerful female character. (Vi is awesome, don’t get me wrong, but Kharise is a character after my own heart.

Vi, Mehren (our magician) and Kharise are the trio that forms the heart of the story and all three of them feel like real people you’d actually want to know. McDowell's character development is spot-on, giving them wants and desires that add depth. What stands out is that they're not just fulfilling their royal roles; they've got these side goals that add layers to their personalities. It's a refreshing take on the typical fantasy cast.

Vierrelyne felt as if she might crawl out of her own skin in frustration by the time their feet hit the cobbles on the high street in Estuary City.
—Chap 8